Vented toilet and odor removal system

ABSTRACT

The present invention overcomes each of the disadvantages in the related art by providing a vented toilet and odor removal system having integrated components that require no additional cleaning and that do not interfere with the cleaning of the toilet or toilet bowl.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The instant application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 60/633,806, filed 6 Dec. 2004, whichis hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of toilet fixturesand more specifically to a vented toilet bowl and system for the removalof odors.

(2) Related Art

Various devices have been used to remove offensive odors from toiletbowls. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,293 to Stephens et al. describesa hooded apparatus for attachment to a toilet bowl which is capable ofdrawing off offensive odors within the toilet bowl. Such devices sufferfrom a number of disadvantages, including the visibility of externallymounted components, the necessity of cleaning such additional componentswhen the toilet bowl is cleaned, and the prevention by such additionalcomponents of thorough cleaning of the toilet bowl itself. Accordingly,there is a need in the art for a device and system for the eliminationof odors from a toilet bowl that include no or few externally visiblecomponents, require no additional cleaning, and do not interfere withcleaning of the toilet or toilet bowl.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes each of the disadvantages in the relatedart by providing a vented toilet bowl and odor removal system havingintegrated components that require no additional cleaning and that donot interfere with the cleaning of the toilet or toilet bowl.

A first aspect of the invention provides a vented toilet bowlcomprising: a toilet bowl having at least one opening for the removal ofgaseous contents from the toilet bowl, the at least one opening beingcoplanar with an inner surface of the toilet bowl; and an exhaustchannel extending from the at least one opening, to which an exhaustline may be attached.

A second aspect of the invention provides a toilet bowl odor removalsystem comprising: a vented toilet bowl having: a toilet bowl having atleast one opening for the removal of gaseous contents from the toiletbowl, the at least one opening being coplanar with an inner surface ofthe toilet bowl; and an exhaust channel extending from the at least oneopening, to which an exhaust line may be attached; at least one exhaustline extending from the exhaust channel to an outdoor ventilation space;and an exhaust device for moving gaseous contents from the toilet bowlto the ventilation space.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will be apparent fromthe following more particular description of embodiments of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, withreference to the following figures, wherein like designations denotelike elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1A shows a side view of a toilet according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 1B shows a top view of a toilet according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a partial cut-away side view of an odor removal systemaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a vented toilet bowl and a system for theremoval of odors from such a vented toilet bowl. Referring to FIGS. 1Aand 1B, a toilet 1 according to the present invention is shown, thetoilet 1 comprising a toilet bowl 10 having one or more vents 12 alongits inner surface. Vent 12 is located above the highest level expectedto be reached by any liquid contents 14 of the bowl 10 (i.e. in aheadspace of the bowl), whether that level is a standing level or alevel reached during flushing of the toilet. Unlike known devices, vent12 is flush with an inner surface of bowl 10. That is, vent 12 iscoplanar with an inner surface of bowl 10 does not project into bowl 10itself. Such an arrangement avoids the addition of additional bowlcomponents that may require cleaning and does not interfere with thecleaning of the inner surface of bowl 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-B, each vent 12 is connected to an exhaust channel20 extending from the opening in the bowl wall to one or more openingsin the back of bowl 10, wherein an exhaust line (not shown) may beattached. It should be recognized, of course, that a vented toilet bowlof the present invention may include any number of vents, exhaustchannels, and exhaust lines.

A toilet 1 according to the invention may further include any number ofelements known in the art, including, for example, a waste drain 16,bowl base 18, tank 30, flushing mechanism 32, and toilet seat 34.Exhaust channels 20 may be integrated into bowl base 18 to avoid theappearance of additional bowl components.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an odor removal system 100 according to theinvention is shown, comprising a vented toilet bowl 110, such as thatshown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and an exhaust line 140 extending from anexhaust channel 120 of the toilet bowl 110 and ultimately to an outdoorventilation space 180. Connect to exhaust line 140 are shown a verticalexhaust pipe 144, a check valve 146, and an exhaust fan 150. Exhaust fan150, when activated, reduces pressure within vertical exhaust pipe 144,exhaust line 140, and bowl 110, thereby removing gaseous contents withinbowl 110. While depicted as an exhaust fan, any device capable ofexhausting the contents of bowl 110 may be utilized, including, forexample, a vacuum device.

As shown, exhaust fan 150 vents gaseous contents of bowl 110 to anoutdoor ventilation space 180, either directly through a wall 142 of thebuilding in which system 100 is housed or via attachment to a vent pipe148 normally connected to the building's sewer system. As shown in FIG.2, exhaust fan 150 is activated via a switch 160. Switch 160 may be amanually activated switch, such as that shown in FIG. 2, or an automaticswitch. Illustrative automatic switches include, for example,motion-sensitive switches, light-sensitive switches, andpressure-sensitive switches. In the case of a pressure-sensitive switch,the switch may be connected to, mounted beneath, or integrated intotoilet seat 134, such that exhaust fan 150 is activated when a user sitson toilet seat 134.

Check valve 146 may be any known or later-developed device capable ofsubstantially restricting air flow within vertical exhaust pipe 144 to adirection from toilet bowl 110 to outdoor ventilation space 180. Thatis, check valve 146 substantially prevents the flow of air from outdoorventilation space 180 into toilet bowl 110 during, for example, periodsof high wind or high atmospheric pressure.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specificembodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives,modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in theart. Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention as set forth aboveare intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the following claims.

1. A vented toilet bowl comprising: a toilet bowl having at least oneopening for the removal of gaseous contents from the toilet bowl, the atleast one opening being coplanar with an inner surface of the toiletbowl; and an exhaust channel extending from the at least one opening, towhich an exhaust line may be attached.
 2. The vented toilet bowl ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one opening is positioned above a fluidlevel of the toilet bowl.
 3. The vented toilet bowl of claim 1, furthercomprising an exhaust line attached to the exhaust channel.
 4. Thevented toilet bowl of claim 1, comprising at least two openings for theremoval of gaseous contents and an exhaust channel extending from eachopening.
 5. A toilet bowl odor removal system comprising: a ventedtoilet bowl having: a toilet bowl having at least one opening for theremoval of gaseous contents from the toilet bowl, the at least oneopening being coplanar with an inner surface of the toilet bowl; and anexhaust channel extending from the at least one opening, to which anexhaust line may be attached; at least one exhaust line extending fromthe exhaust channel to an outdoor ventilation space; and an exhaustdevice for moving gaseous contents from the toilet bowl to theventilation space.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least oneopening is positioned above a fluid level of the toilet bowl.
 7. Thesystem of claim 5, wherein the vented toilet bowl includes at least twoopenings for the removal of gaseous contents and an exhaust channelextending from each opening.
 8. The system of claim 5, furthercomprising a check valve for substantially preventing air flow from theoutdoor ventilation space to the toilet bowl.
 9. The system of claim 8,wherein the check valve is located along the exhaust line.
 10. Thesystem of claim 5, wherein the exhaust device is an exhaust fan.
 11. Thesystem of claim 5, further comprising an activation device foractivating the exhaust device.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein theactivation device includes a switch.
 13. The system of claim 12, whereinthe switch includes at least one of the following: a motion-sensitiveswitch, a light-sensitive switch, and a pressure-sensitive switch. 14.The system of claim 13, wherein the switch includes a pressure-sensitiveswitch at least one of: connected to, mounted beneath, and integratedinto a toilet seat attached to the toilet bowl.
 15. The system of claim5, further comprising a vent pipe connected to the exhaust device.